Delray Beach approves county’s bid to bring Davis Cup tennis to city

DELRAY BEACH – After his Davis Cup match in 2004, Andy Roddick of the US team spends some time signing autographs for fans who reach out to him from the grandstand. Photo by Damon Higgins/The Palm Beach

Delray Beach approved a plan to bid on bringing the semifinals of the international Davis Cup tennis tournament to the city in September, with the hope that it will bring with it a $1 million economic impact.

At least 18,000 people from some of the 125 nations that participate in the tournament would be expected to attend the three-day event were it to be hosted at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, said George Linley, executive director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. The bulk of the economic boost would go toward Delray businesses.

On Tuesday evening, the city commission unanimously approved the plan to submit a bid to the United States Tennis Association — pending an OK from the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency which would put up $140,000 towards the bid. The city would offer the stadium rent-free, along with maintenance and police protection which would cost more than $100,000.

The city hosted an opening round match for the Davis Cup in 2004 at the Delray Beach Tennis Center, which seats 8,200. The 2004 match sold out the center and generated $35,000 in sponsorship, according to archived Palm Beach Post articles. The city has never hosted semifinals of the tournament, Linley said.

DELRAY BEACH – A quickly-gathering crowd swelters under the afternoon sun as they wait to gain admission into the Delray Beach Stadium and Tennis Center for the Davis Cup quarterfinals and the match between Mardy Fish for the US and Jonas Bjorkman for Sweden Friday, April 9, 2004. Staff photo by Chris Matula

“This would be a history-making event for our community,” he told the commission Tuesday.

In order to host the semifinals in the United States, the American team must make it past the quarterfinals by beating out Croatia on July 15. The team would then play either Czech Republic or France in the semifinals, on Sept. 16 through Sept. 18.

“It’s the perfect time for our hospitality industry… September is the slowest of the summer months,” Linley said.

The event is broadcast live on the Tennis Channel in up to 50 countries. Additionally, highlight videos of the tournament distribute to 140 countries, giving the Delray tennis center a shot at major exposure, Linley said.

It isn’t clear yet what other cities would be making bids, or what the odds are that Delray Beach would land the tournament.

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